Saturday, 18 May 2019

Vretsia, Cyprus - 5th May 2019

Having found a better place to site nets we went back to do some of the resident species. We put up six nets, with Cuckoo, European Bee-eater and Black-headed Bunting around while we were setting up.

We only did 14 birds but that did include a breeding pair of Masked Shrike and three Black-headed Bunting. This bird is not discussed in Demongin and we were surprised that the males were so appreciably larger than the females.

The Sardinian Warblers are well into the breeding cycle with two females having brood patches of 3 and 4. The only migrants today were a Blackcap and a Garden Warbler.

Female Black-headed Bunting age 5

Male Black-headed Bunting age 6

Male Black-headed Bunting age 5]

                                                          Female Masked Shrike age 5 (BP3)                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Renewed first primary covert and secondary feathers

Total:

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 4
Sardinian Warbler - 2
Blackcap - 1
Garden Warbler - 1
Great Tit - 1
Masked Shrike - 2
Black-headed Bunting - 3

Oblisque

We returned to Trozena for another butterly check.

 Pygmy Skipper

 Small Whites mud puddling

Common Blue mud puddling

Banded Demoiselle

On route back a look at Asprokremnos Dam and a check of the Xeros Lower Pools, which held a couple of Timminck's Stint and Curlew Sandpipers, eight Ruff, plus a Squacco Heron adn Woodchat Shrike, rounding off the day.